You miss the great things of Command at times like this - the basic things - like being underway; the comfortable daily rhythm of a ship at sea. The simple pleasures of a re-enlistment even.
As your mind tries to focus on a dozen different things though your daydream - someone, CMDCM, XO ... you can't quite recall right away, is mumbling something at you that your mind just doesn't process quite right as you re-read something that that same entity just put in front of you ---- then everything becomes sharp and clear; you can hear every breath of every person, every lap of water against the hull ..... and the words in front of you are as direct as the carvings on a memorial.
You understand the fill-in the blank form,
Reenlisting Officer. Date. Location. Refreshments.The simple banality of the mundane writ large. It is the fill-in that clears all.
"Admiral Harvey. 30NOV10. USS WISCONSIN. Cookies."To get the rest of the story of fun and games involving a few members of the front porch - you need to click here.
16 comments:
Aww! That's WONDERFUL! Such writing! (Sprinkling cookie crumbs on my keyboard in your honor)
Thank you for reenlisting. Thank you for your service. What a great story.
And Admiral Harvey... a shipmate to the core. What a gracious man.
This whole thing makes me smile. Lucky Maggie. She was there for those of us who wish we could have shook your hand and congratulated you I am sure.
:)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
Today is a great day to celebrate and encourage writing. This is a great Navy day!
One more thing - from Lucien's account of the re-enlistment, ADM Harvey was ever the officer and gentleman. Though the re-enlistment officer appropriately directed Lucien to ask the ADM if he could perform the ceremony, the ADM politely declined. As it should be in the COC
Lucien has a way with words. He choked me up just reading his account.
That was me...standing in for the rest of you....I live to serve!
When one four star attends your re-enlistment and you're next duty assignment is to work for another four star, that tells me that someone is a damn fine sailor. Congratulations, YN2 Gauthier and thanks for choosing to stay in our Navy. I'm certain that you will make the Navy better by your being a part of it.
Congratulations YN2! USS Wisconsin, huh? Damn fine ship! :) I am jealous. Have they opened her up? I heard she was finally taken off the mothball list and given to Norfolk.
If only his shipmates could have gone over to WISCONSIN. Lucien deserves the Big Badger Boat! Still, nothing wrong with SAN ANTONIO.
Them YN's always cheese into the best gigs.... 8-)
Seriously, this is just awesome dude.
Congrats!
Yeoman - you, sir, get the adult beverage of your choice if ever I can find a way to make it work. As someone who no longer has a chance to write as much as I would like, I respect the heck out your work - and from what I have read/seen of you in that work, I respect the heck out you as well.
Personally I recommend a bottle of Oban, but tell me what you want (and where in the world you want it) and it is yours....
She's parked downtown @ Nauticus. Topside tours only.
I know when I was there last, she was technically on the Navy's rolls, so she had dehumidifiers and was all locked up. I thought they gave her to Norfolk and was hoping they'd open her up for tours.
The real question is, How many gongs did Maggie get? And did she wear the tiara?
Drinking a bourbon when I read this...dammit, I need yet another keyboard! Well played, sir!
Coz they read all the incoming mail...and they know, you know... :)
LOL! No tiara, it's still considered a uniform item. You have to go to the MilBlog to see the tiara. Next Milblog is April 29th-30th at the Westin Arlington Gateway.
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